Conserving Ontario’s Wetlands to Help Fight Climate Change

– Protecting Diverse Habitats Across Ontario

Ontario is strengthening the protection and increasing the rate of wetland recovery across the province.

Wetlands are an essential component of Ontario’s biodiversity and are vital in mitigating the impacts of climate change by lowering the risk of flooding and drought, preventing erosion and moderating climate extremes. These diverse and productive habitats have many economic and health benefits, including improving water quality and offering excellent recreation and tourism destinations.

The Ontario government would do well to start by protecting the provincial significant wetlands, like this on, in the Thundering Water Forest in Niagara Falls – a place now targeted for urban development.

Ontario is also working with Ducks Unlimited Canada in a new partnership. This partnership will see Ducks Unlimited Canada chair a new committee comprised of environmental groups, industry, conservation authorities and indigenous representatives. As part of this partnership Ducks Unlimited Canada will also rehabilitate and improve wetland systems throughout southern Ontario, including important coastal wetlands.

Signs like this, protesting any proposal the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority may have to “offset” wetlands to make way for development have become common at environmental rallies in the region.

Conserving Ontario’s wetlands and fighting climate change is part of our plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.

QUICK FACTS

The province is providing $1.9 million to Ducks Unlimited Canada to restore wetlands in southern Ontario.

Wetlands act as natural infrastructure, producing at least $14 billion in economic benefits each year for people in Ontario.

Wetlands are areas that have been saturated with water long enough for the soil to become waterlogged. This allows water-loving or water-tolerant plants to grow and thrive, thus contributing to the health of our biodiversity.

“Halting wetland loss requires coordinated efforts and a clear plan of action and that’s exactly what this strategy provides. By partnering with Ducks Unlimited Canada we are creating a partnership that will allow us to leverage expert advice while achieving the targets and actions laid out in this strategy.” — Kathryn McGarry, Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry

“Ducks Unlimited Canada congratulates the province on a wetland strategy that commits to stronger policies to protect remaining wetlands and to ramp up wetland restoration. This is a welcome commitment to the health and resiliency of Ontario.” — Greg Weeks, Senior Director for Ontario, Ducks Unlimited Canada

NIAGARA AT LARGE encourages you to join the conversation by sharing your views on this post in the space below the Bernie quote.

A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who also share their first and last names.

For more news and commentary from Niagara At Large – an independent, alternative voice for our greater binational Niagara region – become a regular visitor and subscriber to NAL atwww.niagaraatlarge.com .

“A politician thinks of the next election. A leader thinks of the next generation.” – Bernie Sanders

Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, Kathryn McGarry met with wetland conservation partners today to speak about Ontario’s Wetland Conservation Strategy. Yet A Quote “we are not an environmental protection agency,” Annunziata was quoted saying at one point.
(1)So being a taxpayer of the Niagara Region I was wondering just who the Minister is referring to when she mentioned Her Partners? Was it the NPCA?

(2)SO if I may ANNUNZIATA, exactly what the hell is the Job of The NPCA if it is NOT to protect the Wetlands of this REGION?
Annunziata I will always call a “SPADE a SPADE and I am not impressed with the attitude used against the Taxpayers who have the Right to attend meetings of the taxpayer funded NPCA.

“Quick Facts [above]:
“Wetlands are areas that have been saturated with water long enough for the soil to become waterlogged. This allows water-loving or water-tolerant plants to grow and thrive, thus contributing to the health of our biodiversity.”

Hmmm. Does this clause allow developers to build on floodplain lands that are Not “waterlogged” because they have been drained?